Him and Her
by suicidalmime
Summary: Sometimes the King and Queen of Camelot just want to spend time away from the others. A collection of drabbles and one-shots of Arthur and Gwen during their alone time together. canon, modern, and other universes
1. We

**Author's Note: **Welcome to _Him and Her_, a series of drabbles full of arwen fluff. If you read my other stories and saw a/n about this, then you know that bits from my other stories that didn't work in the final product will appear here too. The title is taken from the tv show starring Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani.

**Summary:** End (or not so end) of the honeymoon. Post s4/pre s5 canon au **Warning: **This chapter contains a not-very-explicit sexy-time

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><p><strong>We<strong>

"It's time to wake up, husband," Gwen gently said in Arthur's ear and kissed his jaw and down his neck.

Suddenly Arthur rolled them over. Gwen squealed, her arms wrapping around his shoulders to hold on. He smiled sleepily at his wife. _Wife._ He'd never get tired of calling her that and waking up next to her every morning. "You're a queen, Guinevere. You're allowed to sleep in." He nuzzled his face in her neck and curls. "And after the week you've had, you should get more rest."

The day after their marriage was Gwen's coronation, and no one but Merlin had seen the King and Queen since the night of the coronation feast. And the most Merlin saw was Arthur's head popping out the door, and an arm grabbing or returning trays. Arthur would then immediately close the door in his face, but he would always hear Gwen yelling a hello and thank you.

When the guards patrolled the hall, they would hear sounds that made them blush.

Time and clothing didn't matter during their honeymoon. The majority of their time awake was spent making love and laying in each other's arms in post coital bliss.

"I'm Queen now and have duties that I must attend to," Gwen said as she lifted Arthur's head from her neck. "Just as you do as King."

Arthur claimed her lips hungrily, and Gwen responded with equal passion. Her lips were swollen and her face dazed when he pulled away. "And as King, I order you to stay in bed."

Gwen's fingers played with the hair at the nape of Arthur's neck. "You might be a king, but I don't always have to do what you tell me to." She smiled brightly when he recognized her words, and she burst with laughter when Arthur began tickling her ribs. He was relentless, and Gwen tried curl up and away. But it was impossible to get away from his fingers when all her skin was exposed. She rolled on her back and her laughter turned into a gasp when Arthur caught a nipple in his mouth. He alternated between her breast, kissing and caressing.

"Arthur," Gwen moaned. "We…we have…"

"_We,"_ Arthur smiled against her skin. "I love the sound of that." As Gwen became more aroused, Arthur left her chest and trailed kisses down her stomach.

Gwen gave up on speaking, and her hands found the top of his head and gently pushed him downward, urging him to move faster to where she wanted him. Arthur chuckled and disappeared under the covers. Her hands flew back against the headboard as his tongue tormented her in the most pleasurable of ways.

Her moans were getting louder, her breathing getting shorter, and her movements jerking. She came, crying out his name; another thing Arthur would never get tired of hearing. He came out from under the covers, hair mussed, and a smug grin plastered on his face.

Gwen caught her breath. "Okay. You win."

Arthur crawled up her body and kissed her tenderly. "I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked playfully when he pulled away.

Before Gwen could make a retort, there was a knock on the door. The King and Queen groaned at the interruption before making their first order together.

"_GO AWAY!"_

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><p><strong>AN: **I hope you liked it. There's lots more to come.

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. With Me

**Author's Note: **I didn't intend to have this chapter start with a 'W' again, but I couldn't think of a better title. But I know for sure that the next one won't start with a 'W'. It's gonna start with an 'A' and big clue: it's part of _Guinevere, the Teenage Witch_ from my drabble/one-shot series _Across the Universe. _(so read that first if you haven't…only if you want to. i'm not forcing you)

**Summary:** Arthur wakes up after being healed at Avalon, and Gwen is at his bedside.

**With Me**

"_I'll tend to him now, Gaius." Gaius gave Gwen a small nod and exited the royal chambers._

_Gwen rested a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "You should go too, Merlin," she said. Merlin shook his head and tried to argue, but Gwen wasn't having it. "You saved him, and I'll never stop thanking you for that—for everything you've done for Arthur, for us." She stopped him when he began to open his mouth. "There are plenty of things we must talk about, but for now you must take a long deserved break. It's my turn to take care of him now."_

_Finally obeying, Merlin left but not before pausing at the door to look back for one last look. Gwen smiled and mouthed, "Go." When the door closed, Gwen sat on the bed next to Arthur. "I don't know what I would've done if I lost you."_

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><p>Arthur felt something soft brush against his left hand. He slowly opened his eyes and saw Gwen sitting at his side, eyes closed, his hand in hers and resting against her lips. "If this is the afterlife, it's not so bad if I get to see your beautiful face."<p>

Gwen's eyes opened, she leaned closer and stroked his cheek with her other hand. Tears welled in her eyes and a light, relieved chuckle burst from her throat. "You're not dead, my love."

Arthur placed his unoccupied hand on his chest and winced. "Then why do I feel like it?"

"Because the dark magic that poisoned you is gone, but the wound remains."

Arthur sat up quickly, grimacing in pain "Merlin! He—_Urgh!_" Falling back against the pillows, he clutched Gwen's hand tight.

"I don't think I have to tell you not to do that again," Gwen chided. "And as for Merlin…"

"He has magic," Arthur muttered.

"He saved you. He brought you back to me," Gwen said. The tears finally fell. "When patrols couldn't find you, I still felt you. I never lost—"

"Faith," Arthur finished, wiping the tears from her face. "I remember you talking to me."

"Which time?"

"The time when you were a servant and I was a prince in a situation much like this," Arthur said, his lips forming a grin. "And I believe you said something about 'the man I am inside'."

"I never said that," Gwen insisted, trying to fight the creeping smile that threatened to appear.

"_Guin-e-vere,"_ he said her name in the same teasing tone he used back then.

The thought of never hearing him say her name again was crushing. "I will never get used to this, seeing you this way." Gwen's hand hovered over his chest, afraid that touching him there would cause him pain. "You said you would never leave me."

Arthur took her hand in his and rested it on his chest without an issue. "I kept my promise, didn't I?"

"Arthur…"

He squeezed her hand. "Even if I did die, I will always be in your heart."

"When Gaius gave me the royal seal, I knew I couldn't do it. I can't rule alone. I can't rule without you! I didn't marry you to be queen, but to be with you. And I would do anything for you." Another tear fell from Gwen's face. "But that… I am nothing without you, Arthur."

"No Guinevere, it is I who am nothing without you. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you. You were very much a queen long before you held the title. You are strong, Guinevere. And because of that, so am I, so is Camelot."

Gwen shook her head. "I couldn't…"

Arthur's smiled. "Look at us arguing about something that didn't happen."

"At something that _almost_ happened," Gwen said. She leaned over again, and they shared a slow, deep kiss. "Yes, you would always be in my heart, but you wouldn't be _here_." The hand under his gripped his tunic and the other caressed his face. "To never kiss you, feel you, see you, or hear you again. To see everything that reminds me of you, but to never see you. I wouldn't be able to bear it."

The tears flowed freely from Gwen's eyes and Arthur sat up, fighting through the pain to hold his wife to him.

"Arthur, you shouldn't," Gwen said in an attempt to get him to lie back down, but she buried her head in his neck and cried harder.

One hand threaded through her hair and the other rested against her back to hold her closer to him. "Nothing pains me more than seeing you cry."

Gwen could feel the vibrations of his voice and his pulse against her lips. She inhaled, and he filled her senses. It calmed her immensely. She pulled away just enough to look at him. "We can't have that, now can we?" A few more tears escaped, but her eyes were smiling. "You should rest."

Arthur reclined, bringing Gwen down with him. "So rest with me."

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><p><strong>AN: **Thanks so much for the reviews and faves and follows. It means a lot! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well and all the ones to come :D


	3. Invitations and Open Doors

**Author's Note: **First of all, I lied in my last author's not XD. This bit is actually another part to _The Taste of Freedom_ from my _**Across the Universe**_ stories. So go check that out first if you haven't. I originally wanted to make this a longshot, but I couldn't visual an ending, and even if it took 5 billion years to finish, as long as I can visual an ending it's longshot potential XD. I just really wanted to do more Luther-Alice (from the show Luther if you don't know) dynamic inspired Arwen.

**Invitations and Open Doors**

_Gwen was chopping peppers when she felt Helios' arms wrap around her. She stilled, held her breath, and gripped the knife._

"_Tomorrow's going to be a long day. I won't be able to wait to get back home, have my tea, have you," he whispered in her ear. His hot breath, his very being, revolted her._

_Gwen continued chopping. "And I can't wait for you to try my new blend. It's to die for."_

_When she found his body and called the cops, she wept with relief. It made her call sound more convincing. But once the call ended, she laughed, and laughed, and the tears flowed harder._

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><p>When Arthur's alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. on his day off, he wished for terrible things. He could've sworn that he turned it off yesterday. He dismissed it and went back to sleep. It rang again at 6:05 and 6:10.<p>

"What the—?" He checked alarm setting. A string of alarms were set to go off every five minutes. He turned off every one of them and flopped back on the bed. He draped his arm over his eyes and tried to drift back to sleep.

The phone went off again. _"Goddammit!" _He was about to chuck it then he realized it was a text message.

_Our place at 7._

It was from Gwen. Yesterday, she was at the station to speak with the inspector in charge of human trafficking. Arthur let them use his office, and stayed to support Gwen. After the inspector left, Arthur left her alone in his office for two minutes. He left her alone with his phone. "Our place," he read out loud. _"Ha."_ Their place had become the café where they first had coffee together.

He had a half hour to get ready. He grumbled and rolled out of bed.

Despite it being early in the morning, he expected Gwen to be all dolled up in a form fitting dress, high heels, and carrying a clutch with a small pistol inside. He needed to lay off the Saturday night film noirs with Merlin. Gwen was sitting at their usual spot, lazily dressed just as he was. They both wore hoodies, his red and hers purple, and their jeans were even the same dark wash. Hers were tighter than his, of course.

"This better be important," Arthur said as he sat down.

"It is. It's breakfast, the most important meal of the day." His scowling only made Gwen's smile widen. "Cheer up! I'm paying."

Over coffee and breakfast sandwiches, they played their usual game of spot the potential killer.

"So many angry faces this morning. How many homicides occur in the morning?" Gwen asked and bit into her sandwich.

"They largely happen in the evening. The daytime ones are usually shootings, involuntary manslaughter, deadly housewives…"

Gwen clapped her hands together with glee. "_Ooh,_ tell me more about the deadly housewives," she egged him on.

Arthur sipped his coffee and leaned back in his chair. "There isn't much to say. They hate their husbands, and they like to mess with peoples alarms."

The next night it was his turn to drop in on her. It wasn't exactly unannounced; he did have an invitation, sort of, in the form of three spaced out text.

_Come over when you're free._

30 minutes later…

_But not now._

2 hours later…

_Door will be open._

The door couldn't be closed if it tried. There was a hole where the knob and lock should've been. Arthur drew his gun and went inside. It was dark except for a light on in the kitchen. He entered the lit room and found it empty as well.

_Crunch_.

He stepped on shattered glass, and when he backed up to look at it, he felt a point dig into his back.

"Sorry. I thought you were someone else." Gwen rounded him and placed the knife on the counter. She danced around the glass shards and put the kettle on.

"Are you going to clean that up?" Arthur asked.

Gwen stared disinterested at the mess. "Eventually."

Arthur holstered his gun, but his detective instinct took over and he analyzed his surroundings. Clear paths swept through the pile like it was pushed aside with a foot...or dragged. He was absorbed in his analysis that he didn't notice Gwen standing next to him offering him a cup of tea.

"Helios' friends dropped in. They really made a mess of the place."

He took the tea without hesitation this time. "Did they come to send a message?"

"They came looking for Helios. They don't know he's dead, and he owes them money." Gwen shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "These men would stab each other for a quid," she snickered.

"And that bruise on your wrist?"

"It got a little rough."

"Are you alright?"

She smiled. "You should see the other guy. I didn't kill him if that's what you're wondering." Her eyes flickered to the knife. "Got him in the leg." She sighed. "Bled all over the carpet."

Arthur sat at the table and took a sip of the tea. It was good. Really good. He briefly wondered how the tea that killed Helios tasted.

Gwen joined him. "Have you ever been shot?"

Arthur's hand automatically went to his shoulder. "Yeah."

"How'd it happen?"

"Just some meth-head," he said casually.

"Such contrasting feelings on either side of the gun, aren't they? When you hold it, you have the power; on the other side of it you're helpless."

"How many times have you been on the receiving end?"

"More than enough. Last night one was pressed against my temple." Gwen tapped her temple then stood up. She walked around the glass and continued the story. "He held it against me and dragged me. As we passed the counter, he didn't notice that I grabbed the knife. When we reached the living room, I stabbed him in the thigh." Her eyes flicked to Arthur's shoes. "You might've stepped in some blood on your way in."

Arthur frowned. "Did you even try to clean up?" He watched her as she flicked the light on in the living room. Clearly not. There was a trail of dried blood splatter along the floor. Throw pillows were everywhere, the glass coffee table was also shattered, and a crack ran through the television. There were also several bullet holes in the wall.

"There goes the resale value," Gwen said.

Arthur's brain was doing its detective scan again, envisioning the struggle. "Wait. You said 'Helios' friends.' What happened to the other guys?"

"You should see the other rooms."

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><p>Two weeks later, Arthur finished a heavy case. They got the guy but there were two hostages, and unfortunately they couldn't save them both. He washed the day away and stepped out the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Gwen lying across his bed propped up on her elbow.<p>

She sat up sleepily. "Do you even have hot water left? You were in there for some time. Or were you…?" She finished the sentence with a wiggle of her eyebrows

Arthur held the towel tightly around his waist. "I think we're going to need to have a conversation about boundaries."

"I saw the news. I'm glad you're okay," she said.

"Thanks."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Arthur clutched end of the towel tighter. "I want to put on clothes."

Gwen covered her eyes, and he smiled at her. He changed in the bathroom, and when he came out he saw Gwen lying on the right side of the bed. On the left side, his preferred side, he laid on his stomach with his head turned to her.

"What are you doing here, Guinevere?" He was too exhausted to care, but he thought to ask anyway.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," she spoke quietly now that they were in such close proximity.

Arthur bet she had an ulterior motive. "And?"

"And I'm homeless."

_Ah, there it is. _"What happened?"

"House burned down."

"How?"

"Candle? Gas leak?" Gwen snapped her fingers and pointed. "Faulty wiring!"

Arthur buried his face in his pillow. "Great. You're an arsonist now."

Gwen pushed him. "I didn't say I did it!"

He rolled over away from her. "What haven't you done since I met you?"

Gwen stared at Arthur's back, thinking. "Oh! I haven't committed robbery."

Arthur snorted.

They laid in comfortable silence. Arthur began nodding off, but Gwen's voice woke him back up.

"You're bed is a lot more comfortable than the one at the hotel I'm staying at."

Arthur made a disgruntled noise and got up. "See you in the morning," he said not even looking at her and giving a sloppy wave of the hand when he left the room.

He woke up on the couch with a stiff neck and a post-it note on his forehead. He peeled it off and read Gwen's neat and delicate script.

_When I die, I hope you get assigned to my case._

On his coffee table was a steaming cup of tea.

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><p><strong>AN: **Hope you liked it. **Thanks always** for reading and reviewing!


	4. Drinking Buddy

**Author's Note: **So I thought I'd give you guys another part of _The Taste of Freedom/Invitations and Open Doors_ since you liked the last chapter, and I kinda-sorta had an idea of what to write after I posted part 2. And for those wondering if Gwen and Arthur will get together, I'm having them be together without being _together_…at least for now. (I hope you don't mind!)

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><p><strong>Drinking Buddy<strong>

It's been nearly three months since Arthur saw Gwen. Her post-it was her last words to him. There was a pile of paperwork to go through, but his focus was on the crinkled note. _Where are you, Guinevere?_ He was tempted to file a missing persons.

Merlin knocked on the doorframe. Arthur put the note in his drawer. "Yeah?"

"We're all going out for drinks later. Are you joining us, or are you going to spend another night staring at that old post-it?"

Arthur glanced at drawer. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Merlin gave a playful snicker. "Sure you don't. I'll see you tomorrow then."

He had to look for her, he just had to. He didn't know where to start. No matter what he searched for, he ended up at a dead end. The last chance he had was to see Sefa.

Arthur passed a hooker on his way into the old housing. "I'll do you for free," she winked. He took the elevator up to Sefa's floor. The hallway—the building in general—was cleaner than the last time he was there. Arthur knocked on the door and a woman answered.

She looked him up and down. "You're not my client."

"No," Arthur said. "Is Sefa around?"

"She left like a month ago. Someone paid big bucks to get her out of this."

He was sure it was Gwen. The only problem was that now there was no one else who could give him any sort of clue to where Gwen could be.

After another unsuccessful week, Arthur sat alone at the bar of a nearly empty pub. He ran a hand down his face trying to wipe away the exhaustion.

"I'll have what he's having," the voice he wouldn't admit to missing came from next to him.

He stared at Gwen blankly as she settled on the stool. "Are you kidding me?" he said in disbelief.

The bartender set the drink in front of Gwen. She took a sip and frowned. "Water? Seriously? I thought you were having a brooding-detective-downing-his-sorrow-in-hard-liquor moment."

"Where have you—_!_" Arthur realized he was on the verge of yelling. He quickly calmed down. "Where have you been?"

"Did you miss me?" Gwen's eyes twinkled. When the bartender went by she asked for a real drink.

"I've been trying to track you down."

"Is that detective-speak for 'Yes, Guinevere, I missed you with all my heart."

Suddenly Arthur needed a real drink too.

"You really did try to track me down?"

Arthur looked away from her and stared down into his drink. "You got Sefa out of there, didn't you? That's great, but she was my only lead."

"Yes, I finally got her out of there." He heard Gwen sigh. "I had to clean up a lot of messes. Tie up some loose ends."

He needed to ask. It's been eating away at him for the last three months. "Where'd you go? What were you doing?"

"Settle down, detective," she chuckled. "Long story short, I know a lot of bad people that needed to be put down. I also know a lot of bad people who are on my side."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. "Putting hits on people now?"

Gwen laughed into her glass before she took another sip. "This is not how I imagined my life to be."

She told him her story. She was going for school for dance, but had to drop out due to her family's financial crisis. She was disappointed, but she wasn't angry. She would do anything for her family, but no matter how many jobs she worked, the money wasn't coming in fast enough. One day, she found herself standing outside a gentleman's club staring at a wanted flyer for dancer. She would be able to make more money in a night than a week's worth of work at her other jobs combined. It was an option.

And that's when she met Helios.

"What's a girl like you standing outside a place like this?" he asked.

Gwen took in his appearance. He was too finely dressed for this side of town. "Times are tough for a girl like me."

Helios gave her a polite smile. "Well, how about I treat a girl like you to lunch?"

She eyed him warily. "I don't go out to lunch with strangers."

"I'm Helios." He offered her his hand.

"Gwen." She took it.

Helios was a smooth talker, and he charmed his way into her heart. He bought her things and helped pay bills. He insisted on it. Quickly, all the debt was gone. And when her father and brother died together in an accident, Helios was there to comfort her. He eased her mind from the tragedy. As they grew closer, he pampered her and took her on trips to lavish places. She experienced luxury beyond her wildest dreams. Her life would've been so much different had she just said no to lunch.

Gwen finished her drink. "Maybe I should write a book."

"It'd be one helluva read," Arthur said. "Can I get an autographed copy?"

"Even better, I'll dedicate it to you." Gwen tried to keep a straight face. "To DCI Arthur Pendragon," she raised her empty glass, "Dot, dot, dot. I'm not sure what would come after that."

"How about: Sorry for being a pain in the ass?" he suggested. "Did you know I was here, or was it coincidence?"

"Coincidence, actually." Gwen leaned closer to Arthur. "It's like fate brought us back together."

Arthur leaned in too. "So you can terrorize me again?"

Gwen tugged his tie and then began straightening it. "Terrorize you?" Her fingers lingered on the knot and Arthur's eyes flickered at to her lips, glossy with her signature red lipstick. Several months ago his first thought would've been that she was trying to choke him. Working his way back up to her eyes, the corner of his mouth twitched up at the sight of her freckles; they were an endearing feature to her femme fatale nature.

The bartender announced last call.

"I should go," Gwen said, not really making a move to leave.

"Go where?"

She ran her fingers along his cheek. "You could do with a shave, detective." She slid off the stool. It brought them even closer, and Arthur had to lean back to give her room. "See you around."

He watched her go until she was out the door.

The bartender let out a low whistle. He'd been watching as well. "Friend of yours?"

Arthur had to be honest. "I have no idea."

The bartender grabbed Gwen's empty glass. Arthur's eyes lingered on the lipstick stain. Then, he realized that she didn't pay for her drink. He smiled and shook his head. He reached into his pocket for his wallet, and found more than that inside.

There was a folded napkin with an address on it.

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><p><strong>AN: **Like I said in the last part, I don't have an idea for how this could end which is why the endings are left open, soooooooo I doubt there'll be another part to this in the immediate future. But I hope my other drabble/one-shots will make up for that?

**Thanks always** for reading and reviewing!


	5. My Queen

**Author's Note: **Just something I had written during the winter.

**Summary:** Snowball fights and canoodling. Canon era au.

**My Queen**

Always a servant hard as work, Gwen never truly got to enjoy the beauty of the castle when it snowed. She was always making sure the fires were lit, the furs clean, and taking the longer routes through the castle instead of cutting through the courtyard in the snow.

So on this day when the king and queen had a rare day off, they spent the afternoon throwing snowballs at each other. The passing servants, guards, knights, and nobles stopped and stared in curiosity and admiration (or horror in the case of the nobles) for their rulers. The fight escalated when a little boy was passing with his mother. Gwen knew the woman from town and paused their game to say hello. They chatted and when Arthur's attention was elsewhere, Gwen set a snowball in the boy's hand and pointed to the king.

The boy shook his head, eyes large and worried. She told him it was okay and even got his mother to agree. Finally having the courage, the boy launched the snowball.

Feeling the cold splat against the back of his head, Arthur whipped around. Gwen was clapping, the mother was covering her laugh behind her hand, and the boy was already making another snowball. When he looked up, he saw the king staring and dropped the snow in his hand.

"I-I'm s-sorry, m-my lord!" the boy squeaked.

Arthur threw his head back, roaring with laughter. "That's quite an arm you've got!" He squatted down to gather snow. "Let's make this a fair fight, shall we?" He had a passing guard send word into town that any man, woman, and child with free hands is welcome to join the festivities in the courtyard.

Being the people's queen, Gwen rallied all the children and teamed up against Arthur. That day, Arthur would say, is the only time he ever surrendered in a fight.

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><p>Arm in arm, Arthur and Gwen laughed all the way back to their chambers. The guards averted their eyes as their king and queen became more intimate the closer they got to their door.<p>

As they went inside, they were immediately enveloped in warmth. They stopped their canoodling to see the fireplace lit with furs and pillows laid out in front. A platter of fruits, bead, meats and a pitcher of wine rested on top of the blanket. Tucked between two loaves was a note.

_Thought you two would be cold and hungry. Enjoy your picnic!_

_Merlin_

"How thoughtful," Gwen said, having read the note from over Arthur's shoulder. "I was wonder where he was. He wouldn't be able to resist throwing snow at you."

"Too bad he lost his chance," Arthur joked and turned around to pull Gwen to him. "Let's get out of these wet clothes."

Finished with their meal, they laid back on cushions. Gwen chose Arthur's shoulder over the pillows. In only a silk shift, she would've been freezing without the luxurious warmth that was the fire, the furs, and Arthur's body.

Arthur let out a contented sigh. "I don't even think I had that much fun as a child."

"Inviting the people, that was wonderful of you." Gwen kissed his neck. "They will remember this day for a long time."

"The day they witnessed their king surrender." They recalled the image of Arthur on his knees surrounded by children ready to hurl snowballs at him. "I surrender!" he laughed standing up with his hands raised, and the children tackled him into the snow.

Gwen sat up and straddled him. "The day they saw their king as a man free and unburdened," she smiled.

Arthur rested his hands on her thighs, sliding them over the silk. "Thanks to his queen."

Gwen leaned closer. "Tell me more about this queen who makes her king so jovial."

"Well," Arthur began, tucking a curl behind her ear. "Her hair spirals in dark waves." He caressed her cheek. "Her skin is smoother than the richest silk."

Gwen giggled and brought her forehead down to his. "And her eyes," Arthur said. "Dark, enchanting pools that I happily drown in." He lifted up the rest of the way. "And her lips…" He closed the gap between them, tasting the remnants of spiced wine on her lips and tongue.

They were practically melting into each other as their passion grew. Arthur rolled them so Gwen was on her back. When he drew away from her lips, Gwen's gasp for air quickly became a moan as Arthur trailed kisses down her neck and to her chest.

He pulled away and grinned up at her. "There's one more thing."

"Oh, is there?" she as biting back her own grin.

"Mmhmm." Adjusting himself between her legs, Arthur slowly began pushing up Gwen's skirt. "My queen prefers to lie amongst the furs," he said. "Naked."

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><p><strong>AN: **Well, that was cheesy XD.

So with all the positive reviews for _The Taste of Freedom _chapters, I'm going to make it a separate story! I have no idea for an ending, and I probably don't really want it to end, but the guest who suggested having you all give me suggestions on Arthur and Gwen's meetings gave me an idea. It can be a story dump set in that crime au, and you can throw ideas at me for situations you want them to be in. I don't know when exactly it'll go up since I want to flesh out/fix the other chapters first, but feel free start suggesting things :D (but not where the address is to because I already have a plan for that) hehe

And most importantly, **thanks always** for reading and the lovely reviews!


	6. Senses

**Author's Note: **This was originally in chapter 2 of **Undying Love** that I cut out because I kept rewriting it. So then it was 400 words just sitting on my pc. Then I made this series, so I expanded it a bit, and now it's here. If you haven't read **Undying Love**, go check it out (if you want, I'm not making you) unless you're violently against vampires. But I like to think that it's different than other vampire stories. And how many vampire!arwen stories do you see?

**Senses**

There were many perks to being a vampire. Arthur's favorite was the heightened senses. He remembered when he was turned and suddenly the world was brighter, crisper, and more alive. The best part about them, Arthur felt, was that it allowed him to indulge himself in his love.

After Gwen returned from an early morning trip to the market, they spent the rest of the day lazing about in their villa overlooking Lake Como. In the late summer heat, all Arthur wore were lightweight white linen pants, but the cool breeze that came through the window wasn't nearly as pleasurable as Gwen.

The sun was setting, illuminating the room in a sleepy golden glow. Arthur heard a _pop_ and looked across the room. At the table Gwen had opened another bottle of wine. She peeked at him over her shoulder, and then turned completely around and displayed the wine bottle with a grin. With his sharp vision, Arthur took in her form silhouetted by the sun. Like him, she was lightly dressed. Her bare body could clearly be seen through her loose white dress. His eyes followed the lines of her figure from the curve of her breasts, to the dip in her waist, to the flare of her hips. He had nearly a millennia worth of mental images of her naked body, but the mere shadow of her behind the white veil was just as enticing.

When Gwen reached the side of the bed, she held up the bottle to take a swig. The sunlight twinkled through it making the wine look like a forbidden elixir. Climbing up onto the bed Gwen used her free hand to pull up her dress, revealing smooth bronze legs. One knee dipped into the mattress and her other leg swung over Arthur's waist to straddle him. _"Whoops." _She lost her balance, and Arthur helped her right herself.

"Not quite the picture of grace, my love," he said, stroking her bare thighs, savoring the feel of her on his fingertips.

Gwen nudged his side with a knee and laughed. In that moment the entire earth was muted. Her laughter was music to his ears, his own private concert.

He watched her bring the mouth of the bottle to her lips again. She gave him a lustful look before tilting her head back for another drink. Arthur gave her a quick tickle at her waist, and Gwen squealed, spilling the wine from her mouth. He gave her a cheeky grin. "Aren't you going to offer me any?"

Gwen tried to wipe the spillage away with her other hand, but Arthur caught it. The trail ran from the corner of her mouth, down her neck, and lingered at the swell of her breasts. He stopped the drop with his tongue and followed the trail back to her mouth, tasting the expanse of skin. "Who needs glassware anyway?" He nipped her earlobe and smiled into her curls. Her hair, alight with the sun, smelled of the roses she had been tending to earlier in day.

He pulled back and she smiled dopily at him. She was inhibiting her natural healing to feel the buzz of the alcohol. It was a very strong wine. "I've never tasted a wine such as this before." He took the bottle from her, read the label, and had another taste. "Much better on your skin though."

She ran her finger along his lower lip. "The vendor didn't want to sell it to me. Said it was _men's wine_ and that women can't handle it because it's too strong," she said imitating the pompous vendor.

"So you got it to prove him wrong."

Gwen nodded vigorously, curls wildly following the motion. "Sadly to say, I think he's right," she giggled and curled into Arthur's side, soft curves molding perfectly to him. "Don't tell him that."

"Don't worry, I won't." Arthur stretched over to put the bottle on the nightstand. The movement caused Gwen to make an unladylike grunt of displeasure. Arthur smiled and settled back down. "Are you going to pass out drunk now?"

"No," she said in a pouty mutter. She opened her eyes, and the setting sun crossed her face making her irises flash a bewitching amber. The glossiness in her eyes was already diminishing as she allowed herself to heal. "I'm going to sober up." She maneuvered back over him, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes her lips formed a wicked grin. "And now I'm going to make love to you."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The Taste of Freedom** series is now up if you haven't seen it yet. And I was thinking that I could take suggestions for **Him and Her**, too. So if you guys have any suggestions of Arthur and Gwen and their alone time together, I'm all ears! (All alternate universes welcome!)

**Thanks always **for reading and reviewing!


	7. Champion

**Summary: **After a tournament celebrating their marriage, Gwen treats her champion to a bath. Suggested by **Guest**

**Champion**

Gwen planned ahead for a bath to be ready by the time they made it back to their chambers after the tournament. George, and all his punctuality, had just finished filling the tub when they entered.

"May I be of any more assistance, your majesties?" the servant asked, eager and hopeful.

"That will be all, George," Gwen said and addressed Merlin who was helping Arthur with his armor. "And you, Merlin. We'll see you at the feast." She took his place removing Arthur's chainmail.

Merlin rocked back and forth on his feet. "So, uh, I'll just tell Gaius he can look at your shoulder later."

Arthur was already pulling Gwen to him, toying with the laces on the back of her gown. "Just _go_, Merlin."

Merlin blushed at the obvious intimacies of his best friends. "Enjoy your bath, my lord, my lady." He made a quick exit, dragging a lingering George with him.

Arthur winced when his shoulder came in contact with the hard wall of the tub. Gwen didn't miss it when she slipped in across from him. "Come here," she said softly. He moved forward, turned, and let out a pleased sigh when he leaned back against her. "Better?"

"Much," said a very contented Arthur.

Gwen leaned her head to the side and smiled down at him with his head pillowed on her breasts, eyes closed in bliss. Gwen quickly became accustomed to the intimacies of marriage. Arthur was so attentive and giving that she never felt more comfortable than when she was with him.

_Clothed or unclothed. _

Arthur's fingers stroked up and down her knee, and she nudged him with her other. "If you didn't joust in the first place, you wouldn't be in pain." Gwen squealed when his fingers moved to the ticklish spot under her knee. Her legged kicked, splashing water out of the tub.

"If I didn't joust, I wouldn't be in this tub with my lovely wife." Arthur looked up at her with a boyish grin and a charming twinkle in his eye.

She returned her own glorious smile. "We would've ended up here either way." She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his neck, kissing his pulse. "I still wish you didn't joust though. I would've liked it more if you sat next to me in the booth."

"How can I be your champion if I don't participate?"

Gwen kissed his temple and whispered in his ear, "Arthur Pendragon, you will always be my champion."

They relaxed in comfortable silence until Arthur let out a chuckle when he remembered a conversation earlier with the knights.

"They laughed at your favor. 'Is that the Queen's way of punishing you for participating,' said one of the new knights." The simple linen cloth was all she could offer at the time those years ago. As a queen, she could give him a favor of the brightest, finest silk, but Arthur insisted he'd wear the old cloth whenever fought in tournaments, went on missions, and faced battle. "I told them the time you gave it to me. The day I knew I would never love another," Arthur said. "Not even Merlin knew."

"So does that mean Leon knows the truth behind Sir William?"

"You should've seen his face," Arthur laughed and then grimaced. "He definitely didn't hold back this time."

Gwen poked him lightly in the spot. "Hence the pain."

He grabbed her hand and kissed her fingers. "But worth it," he said. "No more hiding."

"No more hiding," she repeated.

Arthur turned out of Gwen's hold. He pulled her onto him so she straddled his lap. Gwen rubbed her hands up and down his chest before bracing his shoulders. She massaged them, giving extra attention to his injured shoulder. It was the same shoulder that bared the scar from the Questing Beast.

Her fingers lingered over it. "My husband, the warrior."

Arthur took her hand again, this time holding it over his heart. "My wife, the worrier." He grinned and then laughed when she slapped his uninjured shoulder with her free hand. He brought his other hand to caress her cheek. "My heart, you're my reason to fight, my reason to live."

Gwen leaned her forehead against his. "My husband, the flatterer."

Arthur gave her a chaste but deep kiss. When he pulled away it was only slightly. "I know, I know. 'Flattery will get you nowhere.'"

"I think we can make an exception this time." Gwen smiled wickedly as her hand disappeared under the water and Arthur let out an audible groan. "Time for your prize, my champion."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **A bit short (but sweet?). I hope you enjoyed it!

**Thanks always **for reading and reviewing!


	8. Interior Decorating

**Author's Note: **So this is another piece of _Undying Love_ that was supposed to be in an upcoming chapter but it didn't seem to fit right. It's funny though because it was the most completely written part of the chapter. I was just going to delete it, but in the last chapter **Sherri** said that I always end on the good parts. *cackles*

So I bring you this smutty little bit! Enjoy?

**Interior Decorating**

Gwen's favorite part about winter was the freezing night air. Being curled up with Arthur under the covers was one of the best feelings in the world. She wished she wasn't an early riser, though, reluctantly having to leave his warmth first.

Arthur loved it when their cuddling transitioned into lovemaking, the covers useless as their body temperatures soared from their passion. He wasn't a fan of the morning-afters, however, when he'd wake up in a freezing room and Gwen absent from his side.

Like now.

He could tell she was in the kitchen when his ears picked up the sound of clinking glass echoing down the hallway.

_The kitchen_, Arthur thought while he grumbled into the pillow, _feels so far away when you're cold and naked._

Had it not been for Gwen, Arthur would have no motivation to get up. He quickly got up, pulled on a pair of pajama pants, and made a beeline to the kitchen, cursing the cold hardwood floor on his way.

Gwen sat on the counter in only his white button down shirt. She held a steaming mug of coffee in her hands and held it out to him. He accepted it gratefully and sat down at the table. She picked up her own and took a thoughtful sip.

"You have that look," Arthur observed.

Gwen put her mug back down. "What look?"

He made a horizontal sweeping motion with the mug in his hand. "The look of disdain over my choice of decoration."

"Oh, yes, _that _look." Gwen smiled, crossed her legs, and began pointing to everything wrong with the kitchen and beyond. "It screams 'Hello, I'm a sad bachelor.'"

"Well…I _was_," Arthur pointed out. As she went into detail about the problems with his décor, his smile broadened.

Gwen stopped her rambling. "And what are you smiling about?" She crossed her arms as well, and an ample amount of cleavage showed through the opening of the shirt.

Arthur licked his lips and went to her. "That time in the tent."

Gwen bit her lip and uncrossed her legs so he could stand between them. She brought his head down close, nipped his earlobe, and whispered teasingly in his ear, "Which time in the tent?"

_The time of vampire rule was over. Humans, fear, religion, hunters, were taking over the land. The kingdoms destroyed their castles to not raise questions as to why such pristine buildings were abandoned and left to be inhabited by strangers. Arthur had watched with an odd numbness as the only home he'd known for centuries was engulfed in the fire he, his father, and their knights created._

_For a while they would live as nomads. From a bird's eye view they would look like an army camp, but down below they were still the kingdom of Camelot. The camp of Camelot. _

_Arthur left the tent where he was meeting with his father and the council. He clapped the messenger on the shoulder and wished him safe travel to the Caerleon camp. His first instinct was to check for Gwen in Morgana's tent, but he already felt her calling out to him in his. He passed the rows of tents, glowing like large lanterns from the candlelight inside. When he got to his, he dismissed the guard posted and entered._

_It was no castle, but a benefit of being royalty was the size of one's tent. From across it, Arthur could see the silhouette of Gwen's figure on the bed behind the curtain. He pulled it to the side and was greeted with a beautiful display._

_Gwen laid on the bed resting on her front. Her arms hugged the pillow, and the fur blanket was pulled down to her hips. The candlelight danced on the bare skin of her back and in her dark curls. She turned her head to him and her lips curved into a smile. Arthur swiftly pulled off his clothes and joined her in the bed. They were displaced, yes. But where ever he was with Guinevere, he was home._

Arthur's hands slid up Gwen's thighs. "Cold hands," she giggled.

His hands crept higher, sneaking under the shirt to grip her hips. "Should warm them up, then." Arthur captured her lips, catching her surprised gasp when he pulled her to the edge of the counter and flush against him.

Gwen's legs instinctively wrapped around him and tightened when his thumb brushed over her clit. A finger slipped between her wet folds, stroking and teasing her for a torturing minute.

Then Arthur pulled his hand away much to Gwen's displeasure. "Warm enough?"

"Not nearly," she challenged.

Arthur's free hand cupped the back of Gwen's neck, and he dived in for a searing kiss. Their battling tongues distracted Gwen, so she was once again surprised by Arthur cupping her mound. The heel of his palm pressed down against her and he inserted two fingers. Gwen broke away from his lips to bite her own as she writhed on his hand. She held on firmly to him with one hand in his hair and the other pressed to his chest.

"Surely my lord would find this—_ah—_more pleasurable if he joined me." Gwen's let out short, airy breaths as he increased his speed.

Arthur slid his free hand down from her neck to the buttons of the shirt and undid them. He pushed the fabric aside and planted wet kisses on her breasts. "It brings me pleasure to give you pleasure, my lady." He caught a stiff nipple between his teeth, and Gwen's hips bucked. Arthur lifted his head up to watch her face contort in pleasure as she came apart by his hand.

Her body relaxed and she let out a satisfied moan. Gwen opened her eyes slowly, and Arthur smiled at her, bright eyed and handsomely smug. They shared slow, deep kisses, indulging in each other.

_BeepBeep!_

They separated and stared at the coffee maker that signaled it was turning off.

Gwen glared at the disruptive appliance while working at the draw string of Arthur's pants. She brought her full attention back to him when her hand slipped in. "I prefer a French press," she said.

Arthur groaned as her hand wrapped around him and worked up and down. "I'll get you one." She gave a squeeze. He grunted. "It'll be made of pure gold and encrusted in jewels."

"And a granite countertop." Gwen pulled his cock out, positioning him at her entrance. "Stainless steel. Really, Arthur?"

Inch by inch, he buried himself into her until he was completely sheathed. "Not so comfortable on the bum?" he teased. Gwen shook her head, curls flying into her face. Arthur swept a few out of the way. "Anything you want," he said.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and she hoisted herself up to capture his lips. He sat her back on the counter to thrust into her properly. As their pace quickened, Gwen leaned her head back against the cabinet.

"And…mah…_hah_…_ah…" _ Gwen panted. One hand left Arthur's neck to slam back against the surface of the cabinet door.

"What was that, love?" Arthur asked smartly with deeper, harder thrusts. He greatly enjoyed it when she tried to speak while on the brink of an orgasm.

"_Mahoganycab—ah—Ah—Arthur!,"_ Gwen came with a cry and a shudder.

Arthur quickly followed behind her with a groan, his face buried in her chest. He gave a hearty chuckle and licked her salty, sweaty skin. He worked his way up to her neck, paying special attention to her pulse point. When they both caught their breath he spoke. "We still have the terrace house. I have someone looking over it. The old neighbors are probably dead by now, so it's should be safe to move back."

Gwen gave him a light and playful push, laughing. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

When Arthur looked up into the metaphorical thought cloud to formulate an answer, he noticed the scratches from Gwen's nails in the sleek wood of the cabinet door. He gave her a charming grin. "Because you're unbelievably sexy when you talk about interior design."

Gwen stopped herself from snorting in a believably unsexy way, and went for a seductive smile instead. "Well then, let me tell you about light fixtures."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: ***hides in embarrassment*

**Thanks always **for reading and reviewing!


	9. All I Want for Christmas

**Author's Note: **This is a little non-canon Christmas bit set in my _The Taste of Freedom_ universe when Arthur is still a bit wary of Gwen.

**All I Want for Christmas**

"I think I want to go to Finland for Christmas," Gwen said, sitting on the edge of Arthur's desk. "They say that's where Santa's home is, you know." She reached for the snow globe being used as a paperweight. It was a Secret Santa gift from George. "Or maybe I'll go to Switzerland."

Arthur knew he should be annoyed by her unannounced visit to his work and invasion of his space, but he wasn't completely bothered. Maybe it was holiday cheer; maybe he was warming up to her. He wouldn't admit the latter out loud. That would make it true.

Gwen gave the globe a vigorous shake, set it down, and the snow whirled around the red dragon trapped inside.

Arthur could see her fingerprints patterned around the chrome base. It would drive George mad if he saw it. He moved it to an uncluttered spot in the front of his desk. He planned to call George in for some unneeded IT assistance once Gwen left. "Switzerland is nice. We have a vacation home in Geneva." He looked up from the globe to see Gwen staring at him. "My family is ridiculously rich." He wasn't bragging. It was a fact.

"Ah, yes." Gwen tapped a finger to her chin. "How many detectives have a closet full of Tom Ford suits?"

"How do you—" Arthur abruptly stopped his question. He knew the answer. "You've been through my closet."

"I have." she confirmed. "You really get to know someone when you go through their closet."

"And when you break into their home," he added.

"How many times do I have to tell you, detective? There was no breaking involved," Gwen chuckled. "It's cute that you organize your ties by color."

"You went through my drawers, too?"

"I like to be thorough."

Arthur shook his head. _Thorough and incorrigible, _he thought. "So, Finland or Switzerland?" he changed the subject.

"I feel like I have to go somewhere. Even when we were dating, Helios took me abroad for Christmas. Of course it turned out it was so he could sell drugs and people," she explained with a grimace.

"Why don't you just stay home?" Arthur suggested. "And you won't have to ask me to dog-sit. That's why you're here, isn't it? To ask me."

Gwen opened her mouth then closed it, abandoning her initial defense statement. "I was going to get to that. Eventually." She slid off the desk and moved to the chair. "So what are you doing? Got a hot date?"

"I'm staying with Morgana. I would take Tiny, honestly, but she's not keen on dogs."

"It's alright," Gwen said. "A staycation would be good. Just me and Tiny. I should get him a giant dog biscuit and stick a bow on it." She was silent for a minute. "What do you want for Christmas?"

"Huh?" Arthur had been lost in thought, thinking about how Gwen had no family. He almost thought about inviting her for dinner on Christmas Eve. Almost. "What I want for Christmas? I hope to not come back to work to find out that some psycho in a Santa suit went on a rampage."

"It _is_ your job to solve murders and such," Gwen pointed out.

"But it puts a damper on the holiday." They shared a laugh. "How about you?" Arthur asked. "What do you want for Christmas?"

She gave him a knowing smile. "Oh, I already got my gift."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "To get away with murder?" he guessed.

"To make a friend," she said seriously.

The wisecrack Arthur had ready to shoot off was quickly dismantled. "That's…touching."

Gwen lightly scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself. I'm talking about Tiny, but I guess I have you to thank for that." She got up and headed for the door. "Speaking of Tiny, he's probably itching for a walk."

Arthur stood as well and walked her the short distance to the door. "If you do decide to take a trip, I'm sure I can convince Morgana that he won't destroy her house. Just don't disappear for months…again."

"I'll let you know." Gwen gave him a small, but warm smile. "Merry Christmas, Arthur."

He returned it. "Merry Christmas, Guinevere."

Arthur watched as she made her way out, passing the other officers and wishing them a happy holiday. When she was gone, Arthur went back to his desk and looked at the snow globe. The white flakes settled on and around the dragon. He picked it up, gave it a firm shake, and put it back down, front and center on his desk. His larger fingerprints next to Gwen's smaller ones clouded the base, and he grinned.

He called in George.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


	10. Habit

**Summary: **Gwen has a habit that Arthur learns to enjoy.

**Habit**

Every day this week, Arthur woke up with a smile on his face. He was married to the woman he loved. Not for convenience, not for strategy, but for love. And that was why he would wake up every single day with a smile on his face even when she wasn't next to him.

Arthur rolled over to the vacant side of the bed, hugged the pillow that smelled like her, and smiled into it. "Again, Guinevere?"

He heard a soft giggle and a shuffle. He looked up and saw her peeking bashfully behind the changing screen. The rest of her body followed just as she slid her sleeve over her shoulder. She stood out in the darkness of the room in a flowing, pale peach satin gown with a sheer golden yellow overlay. The seamstress had whipped up a simple summer wardrobe for the new queen as fast as she could the moment the wedding was announced. But Arthur planned to have a word with the seamstress about making Gwen something breathable, but harder for her to put on by herself. Anything to make Gwen slow down her very early morning routine.

Arthur sat up. "Now that's not fair. You have on clothes and I don't."

Gwen sat next to him and leaned in for a long, deep kiss. "Well maybe if you woke sooner, then we'd both be dressed," she said when she pulled away.

Arthur chased her lips, but she turned her head to the side, denying him. In return, he yanked her closer to him until she was settled in his lap. He grinned. "Or we'd both still be naked. I thought that at least after last night this bad habit of yours would finally be kicked."

He had discovered that Gwen was an early riser the morning after their wedding night and every morning since then. Seven days as a queen didn't change what she's been doing since she was a little girl. Gwen had told him the morning after their wedding that just because she was a queen, it didn't mean she didn't have to get up early anymore.

Arthur told her that was exactly what it meant, especially when she's his queen.

"There's something I want to do," Gwen said softly, close to his lips. He loved it when Gwen wanted to do things in bed. "I want to visit the palace garden before the sun rises."

It took a moment for Arthur to register what she said. "What…?" He leaned back a bit to get a better look at her. "Oh, you're serious."

"It's just," Gwen bit her lip, thinking, "I remember picking herbs with Merlin for Gaius in the fields. The way the morning dew would settle on the leaves along with the quiet and fresh air was always so lovely. And I never had the chance to see the garden around this time because there was no time. I had to begin my work."

"Well, I hope my presence is more pleasant than Merlin's," Arthur said, flinging the sheet off him. He didn't miss Gwen sneaking a peek at his lower half. He could wait until later for a roll in the sheets. "If you help me dress, we can get down there much quicker."

Gwen's eyes flicked back up to his face. "You really want to go?"

"I'll go anywhere with you, Guinevere. Besides, you need an escort and I'm the only one worthy of such a task."

Gwen pulled Arthur up and he stood close to her in all his naked glory, unashamed. It's nothing she hasn't seen before, even before they were man and wife. It was a risqué tableau they made: a fully dressed woman and a naked man, a queen and her private manservant. Arthur would serve Gwen in any way she pleased.

He moved in for a kiss and she slipped away towards the wardrobe. She winked at him over her shoulder before picking out his clothes. The sudden sound of a chipper bird made Arthur turn his head to the window, which caused him to catch the trousers flying at him with the side of his face.

Arthur put them on and before he could lace them, a shirt hit him in the face. It was his favorite—her favorite—white tunic. Once his head and arms were through, he found Gwen barely an inch away from him. She looked up at him through her lashes, and Arthur felt her fingers brush down his waist to the edge of his trousers. She tied the laces slowly, her hand brushing him on purpose.

Once he was secured, she patted his hips. "There."

Arthur kissed her on the cheek then whispered in her ear. "I hope later that you don't untie them as slow as you laced them."

* * *

><p>Arthur didn't have any distinct memories of being in the castle garden. He ran through it as a child a few times, but most of his outdoor fun happened on the training ground.<p>

Looking through the iron gate, the garden looked ominous, saturated with fog. The gate opened smoothly, much to Arthur's surprise. It was well oiled, and gave the slightest musical squeak in the quiet as if trying not to wake the sleeping flowers. The deeper they went in, the gloomy silhouettes became topiary, hanging plants, climbing roses. Warm colored buds and rich greens were cooled under the faint light of dawn.

If Arthur wasn't holding Gwen's hand and letting her lead, he could get lost in here forever and he wouldn't mind.

Gwen let out a pleasant gasp and hurried forward to a small patch of purple flowers. She crouched in front of them and looked up at Arthur with glee. "Gillyflowers! They're my favorite."

Arthur smiled at his wife and settled down beside her. The flowers were speckled with sparkling dew drops. They were the simplest in the garden, but the most charming, just like his Guinevere.

Who was now gripping his hand.

She recoiled into him. "Spiders on the other hand, are not."

He saw the offensive arachnid creep out from under a petal close to her. He whisked her up. "Don't worry, my love. I'll protect you."

As they went deeper into the garden, the fog cleared and it was getting brighter. Buds opened and scents enveloped them. Arthur's attention fell from the beauty around him and back to the beauty beside him.

Although Gwen was his strength, she was also his weakness because usually Arthur was finely in tune with his surroundings, but when he looked at Gwen, everything else disappeared from existence.

So he collided with Cook when they turned the corner.

"Good heavens! Apologies, my lord! Gw—my lady!" Cook bowed while balancing a basket of herbs.

"The mistake was mine, Cook." Arthur reassured her, and then pointed to the basket. "Where did you get those?"

"There's a herb garden here as well?" Gwen asked.

Cook nodded excitedly. "Planted it myself. I told Gaius that maybe he should do the same, but I think he secretly likes having Merlin go the extra mile to the fields." Gwen let out a light chuckle. "Oh dear, you did it for him too."

Gwen waved it off in good humor. "Coincidently, I had mentioned it to earlier to Arthur. It wasn't any trouble."

Cook bounced the basket at her hip. "I work on it alone. I can't have anyone getting in my way. I get that enough in the kitchen."

Together, Arthur and Gwen stepped to the side of the walkway. They shared a smile then look back at Cook. "We'll let you on your way, then" Arthur said. "We look forward to breakfast."

"Good day, Cook," Gwen nodded farewell.

Cook smiled and gave a nod of her own. "Your majesties."

* * *

><p>The sun was just beginning to break over the horizon by the time they reached the lower town. There were few people out setting up their shop booths, and Arthur didn't miss the curious looks, knowing it was unusual for the king to be out on a stroll so early.<p>

Tyr, the stable boy, and his mother Gelda were standing outside their home. Gelda passed her son a fresh loaf of bread, patted his cheek, and saw him off. When he got close, Tyr gave them a sunny smile. "Good morning, your majesties. I'm off to see the horses!"

Arthur laid a proud hand on the stable boy's shoulder. "My horse has been in a great mood lately. Keep up the good work, Tyr."

"Thank you, my lord!" Tyr continued his walk to the castle stables with a spring in his step.

Gelda invited them in. Arthur had never smelled or tasted fresh baked bread straight from the oven. He juggled the hot roll in his hand, and Gelda laughed openly. Before marrying Gwen, Arthur would've thought it was odd to be able to laugh before the sun was up.

After leaving the Seward's, they passed a merchant riding by with his cart. In the back was his young son who gave them a toothy grin. _A child ready to work at the crack of dawn, just like Guinevere_, Arthur thought. He waved to the child and got an over enthusiastic wave back.

* * *

><p>When they passed Gwen's old home, Gwen only looked at it with a quick, casual glance. She could've kept her home, but then the florist's daughter gave birth the day before their wedding. They were neighbors and Gwen selflessly offered her home to them.<p>

"_I'm getting a castle," Gwen chuckled, grabbing hold of Arthur's hand. Instead of fussing over the wedding, they visited the florist's daughter and her newborn._

_The florist's daughter tapped her baby on the nose and the child wiggled. "You're going to grow up right where the Queen did, little one."_

They heard the wailing of the newborn, no doubt waking its parents for the first meal of the day. Gwen's old house was being filled with new memories.

It was beginning to get muggy, and Gwen admitted that the morning has lost its appeal. The precious moments before sunrise were indeed precious, especially before the temperature changed for the worst. The town was becoming more active as well. Arthur would be lying if he said he didn't feel at least a tinge of guilt for sleeping in when the people he ruled were already starting their day before he had breakfast.

On their way back to the castle, Merlin rushed passed them. He paused and turned around, recognizing who he just went by. "Why are you up?"

Arthur raised a brow.

"Nevermind, I'm running late. Gaius needed these herbs yesterday," Merlin said quickly and ran off.

"Don't forget about our breakfast!" Arthur yelled after him and laughed when Merlin stumbled.

Gwen faced him and walked backwards. "There's something else I want to do."

"Oh?" Arthur couldn't help but notice how graceful she was while being casual and playful. But he was ready to catch her before she bumped into anything.

She took a long step back. "We have to hurry. Can't have Merlin walking in on us," Gwen said turning back around and taking off towards the castle.

Arthur countered enemy sword strikes quicker than he registered what Gwen said. He caught up to her in no time, grabbed her hand, and was leading her now. "There's no time to waste!"

There were only servants, knights, and guards in the courtyard and halls. They all watched curiously as their king and queen raced passed them. The nobles were still tucked away in their rooms, unaware of the work going on around them, for them, but surely would hear about their sovereigns' antics by lunchtime.

Gwen closed the door of their chambers behind them, and the moment the latch clicked Arthur pulled her back to him. The morning light illuminated the chamber, and the room warmed with summer heat.

Or maybe it was just Arthur.

He pulled off his shirt and Gwen worked quickly at his trouser laces. He buried his face in her neck and nibbled at the skin. "Making up for earlier I see."

He felt Gwen chuckle against his lips, and she pushed his trousers down. Again, he stood bare in front of her, but not for long.

Arthur pushed her sleeves down her shoulders, and her dressed slipped right off. Maybe he wouldn't talk to the seamstress about making more complicated dresses after all. "Now we're even."

The table was closer than the bed, and Arthur would've had Gwen right then and there, but she was already on him and they stumbled into the bed.

Gwen straddled him. Looking at her from below was one of his favorite views. "I hope you're not tired from our stroll," she said.

Arthur grinned. "Quite the opposite. The morning air woke me up."

"Indeed." Gwen giggled, lowering herself onto him.

* * *

><p>Luckily Merlin was extra late with breakfast and pretended not to notice the lovebites on Arthur's neck or the messiness of Gwen's hair.<p>

"So, shall we go for another walk tomorrow morning?" Arthur asked.

"Well there are no meetings tomorrow, so I was hoping we could sleep in." Gwen struggled not to smile at her uncharacteristic suggestion.

Arthur let a hearty laugh. "Are you capable of doing so?"

Gwen left her seat for Arthur's lap, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Maybe you should hold me and not let me go just to be sure."

And so Arthur did. Every morning he'd wake to his wife in his arms and a smile on her face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Inspiration for this came from sniffing the Yankee Candle 'Early Sunrise' lol

**Thanks** for reading!


	11. The Middle

**Summary: **Only one thing gets between Arthur and Gwen.

**The Middle**

Arthur leaned on the table and stared blankly at the documents in front of him. The door opened, but he didn't have to look up to know it was Gwen. Her arms wrapped around his middle, and he covered her hands with his.

"It's one thing to attend to the ladies of court, it's another to actually sit with them and converse," Gwen muttered into his back.

"Converse? Don't you mean gossip?" Arthur chuckled, patting her hands.

Gwen moved to his side, and his arm went around her shoulders. She took a look at the scattered documents and then looked up at him. "Having fun?" she teased.

Arthur huffed. "Farmer Glenn wants to have complete control over who gets what from his crops. This is his fourth proposal after he was already told that he can't allot a third of his crops to feed the Great Dragon, which he still thinks is alive." He leaned down and kissed Gwen's temple and sighed. "Want to help?"

"You just asked me to help you figure out how to say no to a valuable but completely insane member of society. I think you can do better than that," said an unimpressed Gwen.

Arthur feigned contemplation for a brief moment, and then he smiled and nodded with confirmation. "You're right. I can," he said and swooped in to capture her lips, kissing her deeply.

* * *

><p>Nine times out of ten, Arthur holds Gwen when they sleep. It's on the days that run unnaturally long and laborious when they toss and turn out of each other's arms.<p>

Arthur quickly leaned weeks into their marriage that Gwen became a wild sleeper when given space larger than her old bed. He felt her leg wrap around his hip and her arms around his torso. She had spooned him with her small body.

When they married, many council members advised him against sharing his chambers and told him it was inappropriate.

_Geoffrey chose that moment to speak up._ _"More inappropriate than having a mistress, Lord Charles?" The lord gawked at the usually quiet historian._ _"And the boy married for love. His bed will be getting proper use."_

Arthur wished the opposing council members could see them now so he could laugh in their faces. He was once told as a young knight that men need to do the holding, not the women. It was emasculating for a man to be held in such a way. Arthur thought it was a load of rubbish. He greatly enjoyed his position.

Until Gwen kneed him in his lower back.

The surprise attack caused him to yelp, which woke Gwen up. She unwrap her limbs from around him, lifted her head, and squinted at him with sleepy eyes. "Did I hit you?" she mumbled.

Arthur craned his neck to look at her behind him. Her braid had come partially undone, hair was falling in her face, and her eyelids were drooping but she was determined to focus on him. "Go back to sleep," he smiled at her, turning on his back and opening his arms.

Gwen immediately rested her head on his chest. "_Mmm, '_ove you, Arthur."

He wrapped around her, and she snuggled deeper into his hold. "I love you, too, Guinevere."

* * *

><p>One night Arthur shifted and was thrown off by the empty feel in his arms. He found Gwen's spot vacant. Worried, he was instantly alert and bolted out of bed. He relaxed when he saw that she was standing at the window.<p>

When he noticed she was leaning heavily on the wall, he hurried to her and wrapped his arms around her protruding middle. "Are you alright?"

"I was resting quite fine until your child decided to wake up." She put her hands over his and Arthur felt a swift kick.

"Definitely your child," Arthur chuckled, thinking of his wife's wild movements in her sleep.

Gwen sighed happily and leaned back in against Arthur. "Our child."

Arthur remembered the monthly pestering from councilmen and nobles reminding them the kingdom needed an heir until the Queen's pregnancy was announced. But they weren't having the child for the kingdom.

"Our child," he repeated.

* * *

><p>Lord Charles had requested an emergency audience with Arthur. At the end of it, Arthur found that not only was it not an emergency, but also a waste of his time. He forced a smile, bidding farewell to the lord until from over the man's shoulder he saw Gwen and their son coming towards them, hand in hand. Arthur beamed and whisked by Lord Charles.<p>

He kissed Gwen on the cheek and crouched down in front of his son. "How was your first lesson with Geoffrey?"

"Boring!" his son pouted. "When do I get to train with the knights?"

"Thomas, you won't ever train with them if you keep up that attitude," Gwen said with warning.

Arthur knew Gwen was coming up with reasons why she didn't want their son anywhere near sharp objects. _"My son is not learning how to run a man through before he learns how to write!" she once argued as they got ready for bed. Then Arthur made a joke about the pen being mightier than the sword, and Gwen showed him just how mighty a pillow in her hand could be._

Arthur grasped his son's other hand. "Your mother's right. All your lessons will come in handy when you are king."

"I guess," Thomas muttered. He quickly got over it and tugged his father's hand. "Do you have time to see the festival in town with us? They say there's a juggler!"

"I have all the time in the world for my two favorite people," Arthur said and stood up. He shared a smile with Gwen. Their gaze was broken by Thomas eagerly pulling them forward to get going.

When they were in step with each other, Thomas swung their hands back and forth, humming to himself.

"Did you know that your Uncle Merlin can juggle?" Arthur asked him.

Thomas looked up at him with amazed blue eyes. Gwen looked at Arthur with the same eyes, just in brown. "Really?" they asked in unison.

Arthur grinned. "I say we bring him along and make him go against the juggler. We can place bets to see who drops their items first, and maybe Gaius will get in on it, too."

"_Arthur!"_ Gwen scolded.

But Thomas nodded vigorously in agreement and pulled them in the direction of the physician chambers.

* * *

><p>Arthur had been gone for nearly a month, but he made it home just in time for Thomas's fifth birthday. Festivities went on all day and night, a combined celebration of the Prince's birthday and the King's return. The torrential downpour didn't dampen anyone's spirits.<p>

With a long and audible yawn from Thomas, Gwen declared it was the Prince's bedtime. Arthur went to pick him up and carry him to bed, but their son protested and declared that men don't get carried to bed. So they walked behind him, all the way to his chambers, sharing amused looks as Thomas sleepily swayed and dragged his tired feet all the way there.

At his door, Gwen bent down and kissed her son's cheek. "Happy Birthday and goodnight, my darling son."

Thomas looked at her nervously. "Aren't you going to come in and help me get ready for bed?"

Arthur squatted down and ruffled Thomas's hair. "But _men_ get ready for bed on their own. Remember?"

Gwen raised a brow at Arthur, giving him a look that said, "I know full and well that you couldn't find your sleeping shirt if it was dancing in front of you."

And Arthur returned a look that affectionately said, "Shut up," as he tried to fight back a smile.

Gwen silently communicated back, "But I still love you."

Thomas failed to hide his uncertainty, but puffed out his chest, bid his parents goodnight, and entered his chambers.

Back in their room, Arthur and Gwen were about to get in bed when the loud crack of thunder clashed above the castle. In less than a minute later, Thomas barged in. He slammed the door behind him, ran to the end of the bed where the trunk was, and used it to climb up and scramble into the bed.

Arthur put his hands on his hips and smiled at his son hiding under the covers in the middle of the bed. "Men sleep in their own beds."

Thomas stuck his head out, but then there was another crash of thunder, and he ducked back under the covers. "I'll be a man tomorrow!"

Gwen slipped in first and snuggled up to her son. "Thomas," she called to him gently and smiled down at him when his bright blue eyes peeked up at her. "Would you like to hear of your father's adventures in the kingdom he visited?"

"Uh huh," he nodded.

Arthur cradled him from the other side, and shared every detail of his time away until Thomas was asleep.

They both smiled fondly down at their son. "That was probably the most boring tale you've ever told," Gwen said quietly. "You could've left out…a lot of detail."

Arthur smirked. "It worked, didn't it?"

Gwen brushed the collar of Thomas' shirt. "He put it on backwards."

Arthur gently propped up their son so Gwen could fix his shirt. Thomas stayed asleep during the process and snuggled deep into the covers when he was laid back down. A second later, Thomas let out a very loud snore.

"Your son," Gwen giggled lightly, and kissed Thomas' forehead. "My little piglet," she said and tucked in next to him.

"I. Do. Not. Snore," Arthur argued from the other side of Thomas for the millionth time since he stayed in her house.

The storm raged on, and Arthur and Thomas' thunderous snores overpowered the sound from outside. Gwen slept through it all in an equally deep sleep.

Suddenly Thomas flopped on his stomach, and his hand whacked Arthur in the face.

Arthur jolted awake, reaching for his sword, but stopped immediately when he saw his wife and son in identical positions, on their stomach, limbs splayed.

The scene was comical but Arthur treasured the image. Then Thomas flailed again and elbowed his mother. She woke with a start and immediately shielded Thomas with her body against the assailant she didn't realize was their son.

Arthur's heart swelled at the sight of Gwen's instinct to protect Thomas. "Your son," he said with a warm chuckle.

They settled back down and watched Thomas between them in a deep slumber, unafraid and oblivious to the world.

"Our son," Gwen said adoringly.

"Our son," Arthur echoed.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **This started as just being about Arthur and Gwen holding each other in various moments. Then I remembered a _Sailor Moon_ picture of Usagi and Mamoru sleeping in bed with Chibiusa between them, which I looked up after I finished writing this to make sure that it was a real pic and I wasn't remembering something that didn't exist. Diana, the cat is in it too, but I didn't remember at the time, and I'm too lazy to add in a pet hahaha

Also there are some suggestions I'm still working through, but do keep them coming!

**Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


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